Table 4.
Comparison of the Clinical Features of Patients Negative for Anti-TPO at Baseline According to Whether They Had a Significant Increase in the Anti-TPO Titer
| Variable | Significant increase in anti-TPO titer | No significant increase in anti-TPO titer | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number | 16 | 66 | - |
|
| |||
| Baseline characteristics | |||
| Age, yr | 61 (49–65) | 55 (41–63) | 0.429 |
| Male sex | 9 (56.3) | 30 (45.5) | 0.436 |
| Smoking | 2/12 (16.7) | 8/61 (13.1) | 0.665 |
| Drinking | 4/11 (36.4) | 11/60 (18.3) | 0.228 |
| TSH, mIU/L | 1.1 (0.9–1.8) | 1.1 (0.8–1.5) | 0.631 |
| fT4, pmol/L | 18 (17–19) | 18 (17–20) | 0.554 |
| fT3, pmol/L | 3.9 (3.6–4.4) | 4.1 (3.6–4.5) | 0.676 |
| Baseline anti-TPO titer, U | 43 (22–54) | 18 (10–33) | 0.005a |
| COVID-19 severity | 0.018a | ||
| Mild | 11 (68.8) | 55 (83.3) | |
| Moderate | 2 (12.5) | 11 (16.7) | |
| Severe | 3 (18.8) | 0 | |
|
| |||
| Clinical course | |||
| Elevated CRP during hospitalization | 15 (93.8) | 44 (66.7) | 0.033a |
| Peak ESR during hospitalization, mm/hr | 68 (41–96) | 56 (35–93) | 0.564 |
| Length of hospitalization, day | 8 (6–11) | 8 (6–11) | 0.874 |
| Interferon beta-1b treatment | 14 (87.5) | 51 (77.3) | 0.503 |
| Dexamethasone requirement | 2 (12.5) | 7 (10.6) | 0.999 |
| Oxygen requirement | 2 (12.5) | 6 (9.1) | 0.650 |
| Intensive care unit admission | 1 (6.3) | 1 (1.5) | 0.354 |
Values are expressed as median (interquartile range) or number (%).
TPO, thyroid peroxidase antibody; TSH, thyroid-stimulating hormone; fT4, free thyroxine; fT3, free triiodothyronine; COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; CRP, C-reactive protein; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate.
a
Values with statistical significance.